Social Sciences

Faculty conducting research in the social sciences have access to a wide range of external funding opportunities through OSP's curated resources, spanning federal agencies, private foundations, and interdisciplinary programs that bridge the social and natural sciences.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is among the most significant federal funders of social science research at W&M, with its Directorate of Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (SBE) supporting basic research across economics, psychology, anthropology, political science, and related fields. The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) and the Russell Sage Foundation – the principal American foundation devoted exclusively to social science research – offer additional grant and fellowship opportunities for faculty pursuing scholarly projects across the discipline. The Rockefeller Foundation and other private funders also support work at the intersection of the humanities and social sciences.

For faculty whose research spans policy, public-interest, or applied domains, programs such as DARPA, the Department of Commerce, and the William T. Grant Foundation offer pathways to external support for socially relevant inquiry. OSP's weekly funding opportunities list is regularly updated with open solicitations relevant to social science faculty, and customized funding searches are available upon request. Faculty are encouraged to reach out to their OSP Sponsored Programs Administrator early in the proposal process to ensure timely review and submission.

Browse each faculty funding section, or use Command (⌘) + F on Mac devices or Ctrl + F on PC devices to search for specific keywords on each page.

Interested applicants should contact their OSP Administrator as early as possible.

Funding Opportunities

Please visit the Foundation section for more related opportunities.

• (New) Stanton Nuclear Security Fellowship Program
  
  • Council on Foreign Relations 
  • Description: A 12-month postdoctoral fellowship supporting policy-relevant research on nuclear security at the Council on Foreign Relations.
  • Deadline: 10/30/2026
  • Keywords: Nuclear Security, Postdoctoral Fellowship, Policy Research
• (New) International Affairs Fellowships
  
  • Council on Foreign Relations 
  • Description: A 12-month fellowship for mid-career U.S. professionals to gain experience in government, international organizations, or CFR while developing policy-relevant work in U.S. foreign affairs.
  • Deadline: 10/30/2026
  • Keywords: Foreign Policy, International Affairs, Mid-Career Fellowship
• (New) Awards and Prizes
  
  • Society for Military History 
  • Description: Awards recognizing outstanding scholarship and contributions to the history of mathematics.
  • Deadline: 12/01/2026
  • Keywords: History of Mathematics, Mathematical Scholarship, Academic Awards
• James Madison Program Fellowships
  • Princeton University 
  • Description: James Madison Program Visiting Fellowship — Supports college/university professors and other established scholars for an academic-year research appointment at Princeton, with one-semester appointments possible. Fellows conduct research connected to the James Madison Program’s scholarly mission. 
  • Deadline: 12/04/2026
  • Keywords: Visiting fellowship, higher education, scholarly research, civic education, Princeton University
• Student, Teachers, and Officers Preventing (STOP) School Violence Program
  • Department of Justice 
  • Description: Supports efforts to prevent and reduce school violence through training, threat assessment/intervention teams, anonymous reporting technologies, and school safety strategies. 
  • Deadline: 10/30/2026
  • Keywords: School violence prevention, school safety, threat assessment, youth, law enforcement
• OJJDP Missing and Exploited Children Training and Technical Assistance Program
  • Department of Justice 
  • Description: Supports training and technical assistance to strengthen responses to missing and exploited children, including investigative, law enforcement, and child-safety efforts.
  • Deadline: 10/29/2026
  • Keywords: Missing children, child exploitation, law enforcement, training, technical assistance
  • *Institutionally Limited
• BJA Upholding the Rule of Law and Preventing Wrongful Convictions Program
  • Department of Justice 
  • Description: Supports efforts to identify and prevent wrongful convictions through conviction review, case analysis, and improvements to criminal justice practices. 
  • Deadline: 11/09/2026
  • Keywords: Wrongful convictions, criminal justice, conviction review, rule of law, legal reform
  • *Institutionally Limited
• Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture - Scholars in Residence
  • New York Public Library 
  • Description: Supports scholars conducting advanced research using the Schomburg Center’s collections on the history and culture of people of African descent. Provides a residency in New York with access to research resources and a stipend.
  • Deadline: 12/01/2026
  • Keywords: African diaspora, humanities, archival research, Black studies, scholarly residency
• Small-Size Grants 
  • Global EbA Fund 
  • Description: Funding for innovative, catalytic projects that advance ecosystem-based adaptation, strengthen local capacity, and support climate resilience in vulnerable countries.
  • Deadline: 10/26/2026
  • Keywords: ecosystem adaptation, climate resilience, nature-based solutions, climate finance, biodiversity, local capacity
• Tools Competition 
  • Learning Agency 
  • Description: Funding for innovative edtech tools that use digital technology, data, and learning science to improve learning outcomes and support learners worldwide.
  • Deadline: 10/13/2026
  • Keywords: Edtech, learning technology, AI, education data, learning science, digital tools, student outcomes
• Norine Johnson, Ph.D., Psychotherapy Research Grant for Early Career Psychologists 
  • Society for the Advancement of Psychotherapy 
  • Description: A $20,000 research grant supporting early-career psychologists conducting empirical research on psychotherapy relationships, processes, or outcomes.
  • Deadline: 03/01/2027
  • Keywords: Psychotherapy research, psychology, early career, mental health, therapeutic outcomes, clinical research
• Educating Character Initiative Grants
  
  • Wake Forest University 
  • Description: Supports U.S. colleges and universities in integrating character education into their curricula, institutional practices, and campus cultures through grants, resources, and collaborative learning.
  • Deadline: 11/15/2026
  • Keywords: Character education, higher education, institutional development, student development, leadership, curriculum, college universities
• Career Enhancement Fellowships for Junior Faculty 
  
  • Institute for Citizens and Scholars (formerly the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation)
  • Description: Supports outstanding junior faculty in the humanities and humanistic social sciences with research funding, professional development, mentorship, and time to advance their scholarship and academic careers.
  • Deadline: 10/23/2026
  • Keywords: Supports outstanding junior faculty in the humanities and humanistic social sciences with research funding, professional development, mentorship, and time to advance their scholarship and academic careers.
• Fellows Program
  
  • Supreme Court of the United States
  • Description: A one-year paid fellowship providing professionals and scholars with experience in judicial administration, policy, legal research, and education within the federal judiciary.
  • Deadline: 11/15/2026
  • Keywords: Judicial administration, law, legal research, federal judiciary, public policy, political science, judicial education, public service, fellowship, Supreme Court
• Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) – Fellowships
  
  • Smithsonian Institution 
  • Description: Provides graduate, predoctoral, and postdoctoral fellowship opportunities to conduct independent environmental research in temperate, tropical, and polar ecosystems utilizing the facilities and staff expertise of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC).
  • Deadline: 10/15/2026
  • Keywords: Ecosystem ecology, Global change, Biodiversity and conservation, Biological invasions, Watersheds and land use
• Just Futures Initiative Grant Opportunity
  
  • Borealis Philanthropy 
  • Description: Supports grassroots organizations, coalitions, and community-based initiatives working to advance community safety, democracy, justice, and belonging. The program provides flexible general operating support for organizations developing alternatives to criminalization, strengthening civic participation, protecting civil rights, and building community-led solutions.
  • Deadline: Rolling deadline (applications accepted while funds remain available)
  • Keywords: Community Safety, Democracy, Social Justice, Civil Rights, Community Organizing
• NOIP: CDC National Centers of Excellence in Youth Violence Prevention (YVPCs): Rigorous Evaluation of Prevention Approaches to Prevent and Reduce Youth Violence
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  • Description: Supports research centers evaluating evidence-based strategies to prevent and reduce youth violence through community partnerships, prevention research, and training.
  • Deadline: 12/01/2026
  • Keywords: Youth Violence Prevention, Violence Prevention, Injury Prevention, Community-Based Research, Public Health, Behavioral Health, Youth Development, Community Engagement
• Jacquelin Goldman Congressional Fellowship
  • American Psychological Association
  • Description:
  • Deadline: 01/04/2027 
  • Keywords:
• Congressional Research Grants
  • Dirksen Congressional Center
  • Description:
  • Deadline: Applications are accepted at any time
  • Keywords:
• Economics
  • National Science Foundation
  • Description:
  • Deadline: Full proposal accepted anytime
  • Keywords:
• The Research on Research Security Program (RoRS)
  • National Science Foundation
  • Description:
  • Deadline: Full proposal accepted anytime
  • Keywords: 
• Research Infrastructure in the Social and Behavioral Sciences
  • National Science Foundation (NSF)
  • Description:
  • Deadline: Full proposal accepted anytime
  • Keywords:
• Social and Behavior Change (SBC) Research
  • U.S. Agency for International Development
  • Description:
  • Deadline: 12/31/2029
  • Keywords:
• Career development and transition funding
  • Open Philanthropy
  • Description:
  • Deadline: Applications are open until further notice and will be assessed on a rolling basis. 
  • Keywords:
• Research Infrastructure in the Social and Behavioral Sciences (RISBS)
  • National Science Foundation
  • Description:
  • Deadline: Full proposal accepted anytime
  • Keywords:
• Sociology
  • National Science Foundation
  • Description:
  • Deadline: Full proposal accepted anytime
  • Keywords: